Lay-out workers, metal and plastic

November 2004 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers

Lay-Out Workers, Metal and Plastic: Lay out reference points and dimensions on metal or plastic stock or workpieces, such as sheets, plates, tubes, structural shapes, castings, or machine parts, for further processing. Include shipfitters.

Earnings for machine operators can vary by size of the company, union or nonunion status, industry, and skill level and experience of the operator. Also, temporary employees, who are being hired in greater numbers, usually get paid less than company-employed workers. The median hourly earnings in 2002 for a variety of machine setters, operators, and tenders—metal and plastic were as follows:

Model makers, metal and plastic	$18.27
Patternmakers, metal and plastic	16.09
Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders	14.79
Lay-out workers, metal and plastic	14.79
Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	14.55
Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners	14.14
Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	14.04
Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	13.79
Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	13.62
Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	13.56
Pourers and casters, metal	13.40
Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	13.23
Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	12.64
Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	12.56
Foundry mold and coremakers	12.55
Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	12.44
Plating and coating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	12.22
Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	11.81
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	11.17
All other metal workers and plastic workers	13.65

Machine setters, operators, and tenders—metal and plastic held about 1.3 million jobs in 2002. Approximately 9 of 10 jobs were found in manufacturing. About 38 percent of all employment was in these manufacturing industries: transportation equipment manufacturing, plastics and rubber products manufacturing, and machinery manufacturing. The following tabulation shows the distribution of employment of machine setters, operators, and tenders—metal and plastic by detailed occupation.

Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	283,000
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	151,000
Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	104,000
Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	99,000
Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	98,000
Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	75,000
Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	53,000
Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	45,000
Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	44,000
Plating and coating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	44,000
Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	31,000
Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	29,000
Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners	26,000
Foundry mold and coremakers	23,000
Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders	18,000
Pourers and casters, metal	13,000
Lay-out workers, metal and plastic	13,000
Model makers, metal and plastic	8,500
Patternmakers, metal and plastic	6,500
All other metal workers and plastic workers	104,000

(from the Occupational Outlook Handbook: Machine setters, operators, and tenders—metal and plastic)

See more recent statistics for employed workers below.

November 2004 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers

National, State, and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Earnings

Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin
State maximums: employment earnings: mean 10th 25th 50th 75th 90th
Metro maximums: employment earnings: mean 10th 25th 50th 75th 90th

Lay-out workers, metal and plastic
	Percentile annual earnings, $
	10th	25th	50th	75th	90th
National
U.S. employment: 11,110 mean earnings: $34,060	21,320	26,780	32,840	40,150	47,300
State and Metro Area
Alabama (ACS) (EAG) employment: 470 mean earnings: $28,580	21,780	24,690	27,440	31,760	36,940
Birmingham, AL employment: 270 mean earnings: $27,780	21,680	24,600	27,160	30,210	35,790
Mobile, AL Occupational Outlook Handbookemployment: n.a. mean earnings: $34,270	25,190	27,590	32,310	40,240	47,200
Arizona (ACS) (EAG) employment: 50 mean earnings: $30,400	27,490	29,430	31,460	33,510	34,740
Phoenix - Mesa, AZ employment: n.a. mean earnings: $31,630	28,980	30,080	31,910	33,740	34,840
Arkansas (ACS) (EAG) employment: 160 mean earnings: $33,450	23,100	29,420	33,330	38,360	44,690
California (ACS) (EAG) employment: 800 mean earnings: $33,470	18,800	25,120	33,970	41,180	46,050
Los Angeles - Long Beach, CA employment: 210 mean earnings: $28,010	16,400	18,710	26,650	35,130	42,680
Orange County, CA employment: 100 mean earnings: $32,680	17,270	21,300	36,620	42,260	45,700
Riverside - San Bernardino, CA employment: 50 mean earnings: $32,400	23,480	25,300	28,340	40,910	45,520
San Diego, CA employment: 270 mean earnings: $33,920	22,570	28,590	34,840	40,400	43,960
Stockton - Lodi, CA employment: 30 mean earnings: $39,540	31,160	36,730	40,040	43,350	46,640
Colorado (ACS) (EAG) employment: 90 mean earnings: $38,280	22,110	26,290	35,280	51,890	56,720
Denver, CO employment: 70 mean earnings: $40,310	24,790	27,690	41,960	52,760	57,070
Connecticut (ACS) (EAG) employment: 100 mean earnings: $37,170	23,870	31,190	38,350	44,160	49,040
Hartford, CT employment: 40 mean earnings: $38,370	31,180	34,280	38,480	43,050	46,010
Florida (ACS) (EAG) Occupational Outlook Handbook employment: 210 mean earnings: $24,780	15,090	17,610	24,450	31,810	36,140
Georgia (ACS) (EAG) employment: 100 mean earnings: $26,730	15,360	17,280	29,140	33,410	36,480
Atlanta, GA employment: 40 mean earnings: $28,030	16,110	21,920	30,700	33,540	35,240
Illinois (ACS) (EAG) employment: 370 mean earnings: $40,110	26,460	32,780	39,340	47,930	56,100
Chicago, IL employment: 230 mean earnings: $39,480	26,530	32,760	39,170	45,800	54,970
Peoria - Pekin, IL Occupational Outlook Handbookemployment: 60 mean earnings: $46,690	35,170	40,260	48,860	54,180	57,370
Indiana (ACS) (EAG) Occupational Outlook Handbook employment: 150 mean earnings: $34,030	21,790	28,130	32,880	36,710	44,990
Indianapolis, IN employment: 30 mean earnings: $31,420	25,030	27,030	30,410	35,410	40,870
Iowa (ACS) (EAG) employment: 120 mean earnings: $30,310	24,150	28,550	31,020	33,540	35,060
Kansas (ACS) (EAG) employment: 50 mean earnings: $30,830	24,460	26,950	30,970	34,780	37,750
Kentucky (ACS) (EAG) employment: 110 mean earnings: $29,370	19,740	24,110	29,370	34,410	39,610
Louisville, KY - IN employment: 30 mean earnings: $30,920	21,670	25,090	29,770	36,990	42,840
Maryland (ACS) (EAG) employment: 70 mean earnings: $31,910	25,540	28,090	31,250	34,590	36,950
Massachusetts (ACS) (EAG) employment: 160 mean earnings: $38,750	20,950	32,710	40,820	45,790	53,120
Boston, MA - NH employment: n.a. mean earnings: $42,450	34,450	39,080	42,710	46,430	53,920
Michigan (ACS) (EAG) employment: 350 mean earnings: $46,480	24,200	32,140	46,810	62,350	70,240
Detroit, MI employment: 150 mean earnings: $43,960	23,090	28,920	42,560	60,100	68,530
Minnesota (ACS) (EAG) employment: 210 mean earnings: $33,120	22,760	25,800	31,830	37,670	48,490
Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN - WI employment: 140 mean earnings: $34,560	22,810	26,130	33,240	42,300	51,220
St. Cloud, MN employment: n.a. mean earnings: $30,860	20,290	23,390	29,430	35,250	43,620
Missouri (ACS) (EAG) employment: 210 mean earnings: $31,380	23,760	28,400	31,500	34,760	40,050
Kansas City, MO - KS employment: 100 mean earnings: $32,060	23,700	27,630	32,100	35,920	42,200
St. Louis, MO - IL employment: 50 mean earnings: $32,660	25,010	27,710	31,630	36,010	41,380
Nevada (ACS) (EAG) employment: 70 mean earnings: $49,560	24,860	31,850	47,020	66,780	77,620
Las Vegas, NV - AZ employment: 70 mean earnings: $49,560	24,770	32,430	46,840	66,510	78,250
New Hampshire (ACS) (EAG) employment: 60 mean earnings: $30,790	23,950	26,580	30,780	34,700	39,430
New Jersey (ACS) (EAG) employment: 160 mean earnings: $33,490	23,640	25,440	28,380	42,050	50,580
Middlesex - Somerset - Hunterdon, NJ employment: n.a. mean earnings: $27,350	23,620	24,610	26,250	27,890	28,880
New Mexico (ACS) (EAG) employment: 50 mean earnings: $35,050	20,270	24,600	31,730	46,220	59,200
New York (ACS) (EAG) employment: 290 mean earnings: $35,640	22,280	29,090	34,770	41,580	50,660
Albany - Schenectady - Troy, NY employment: n.a. mean earnings: $29,030	24,850	26,340	28,810	31,950	34,910
Buffalo - Niagara Falls, NY employment: 50 mean earnings: $44,460	30,450	36,330	43,460	54,140	60,880
Nassau - Suffolk, NY employment: 60 mean earnings: $36,780	21,340	29,540	33,030	38,670	66,140
New York, NY employment: 50 mean earnings: $30,550	18,860	23,940	31,410	36,370	43,130
North Carolina (ACS) (EAG) employment: 90 mean earnings: $33,460	22,600	27,190	32,930	39,420	47,100
Charlotte - Gastonia - Rock Hill, NC - SC employment: 30 mean earnings: $33,540	24,930	28,740	33,180	37,060	43,910
Ohio (ACS) (EAG) employment: 690 mean earnings: $42,150	26,690	30,910	35,610	60,410	68,560
Akron, OH employment: n.a. mean earnings: $37,260	27,600	30,060	33,230	37,960	62,630
Cleveland - Lorain - Elyria, OH employment: n.a. mean earnings: $54,020	29,910	34,770	61,590	67,240	70,620
Columbus, OH Occupational Outlook Handbookemployment: n.a. mean earnings: $40,800	35,920	37,620	40,380	43,140	48,200
Oklahoma (ACS) (EAG) employment: 190 mean earnings: $29,570	20,330	23,670	28,700	34,730	41,710
Oklahoma City, OK employment: 80 mean earnings: $30,350	19,570	21,930	27,870	39,430	44,530
Tulsa, OK employment: 50 mean earnings: $26,970	19,680	22,560	26,490	31,550	34,800
Oregon (ACS) (EAG) employment: 90 mean earnings: $37,320	19,220	26,250	33,480	45,490	66,520
Portland - Vancouver, OR - WA employment: 70 mean earnings: $42,710	26,730	31,540	37,390	55,030	69,230
Pennsylvania (ACS) (EAG) employment: 640 mean earnings: $31,660	21,960	26,910	31,710	35,420	41,920
Allentown - Bethlehem - Easton, PA employment: n.a. mean earnings: $32,400	23,530	29,830	32,820	35,810	41,860
Erie, PA employment: 30 mean earnings: $29,050	19,370	21,660	30,170	34,470	39,660
Lancaster, PA employment: 40 mean earnings: $33,460	26,710	30,160	33,420	36,790	41,960
Philadelphia, PA - NJ employment: 230 mean earnings: $34,650	23,940	27,960	33,240	38,830	51,240
Pittsburgh, PA employment: 80 mean earnings: $30,490	23,580	26,510	30,720	34,350	38,000
South Carolina (ACS) (EAG) employment: 190 mean earnings: $26,510	16,490	19,950	25,690	29,800	38,120
Columbia, SC employment: 40 mean earnings: $22,120	15,370	16,640	23,260	26,420	28,320
South Dakota (ACS) (EAG) Occupational Outlook Handbook employment: 40 mean earnings: $21,940	17,740	19,400	22,030	25,050	27,010
Tennessee (ACS) (EAG) employment: 210 mean earnings: $31,230	22,050	27,260	31,730	35,130	40,660
Memphis, TN - AR - MS employment: n.a. mean earnings: $29,910	23,360	28,760	31,080	33,430	34,840
Nashville, TN employment: 50 mean earnings: $29,620	24,470	26,710	29,990	33,090	34,940
Texas (ACS) (EAG) employment: 960 mean earnings: $27,900	18,840	21,670	26,480	32,070	38,790
Dallas, TX Occupational Outlook Handbookemployment: 60 mean earnings: $30,630	17,160	22,980	30,280	37,440	45,750
Fort Worth - Arlington, TX employment: n.a. mean earnings: $28,970	23,160	24,390	26,420	29,890	46,970
Houston, TX employment: 220 mean earnings: $28,620	18,390	20,260	24,760	33,670	49,090
Utah (ACS) (EAG) employment: 90 mean earnings: $33,120	20,790	26,010	31,320	36,700	50,790
Salt Lake City - Ogden, UT employment: 70 mean earnings: $33,920	22,220	26,940	31,820	36,680	52,630
Virginia (ACS) (EAG) employment: 310 mean earnings: $32,370	21,730	27,660	32,340	36,180	42,800
Norfolk - Virginia Beach - Newport News, VA - NC employment: 230 mean earnings: $32,490	21,640	28,840	32,480	36,090	42,830
Richmond - Petersburg, VA employment: n.a. mean earnings: $32,440	26,730	30,350	33,050	35,750	37,360
Washington (ACS) (EAG) employment: 200 mean earnings: $45,850	32,380	39,210	43,620	53,700	66,160
West Virginia (ACS) (EAG) employment: 50 mean earnings: $33,410	25,190	29,010	32,650	37,070	44,210
Wisconsin (ACS) (EAG) employment: 320 mean earnings: $39,840	28,940	34,880	40,280	44,720	52,280
Green Bay, WI employment: n.a. mean earnings: $38,820	25,860	31,070	39,140	46,150	53,530
Milwaukee - Waukesha, WI employment: 40 mean earnings: $38,830	30,710	33,530	37,970	43,280	48,070

source: Occupational Employment Statistics Program; about these estimates

The highlighted text indicates the maximum values in each column among the states and metropolitan areas.

The (ACS) links lead to data from the American Community Survey from the Census Bureau.

The (EAG) links lead to U.S. Economy at a Glance data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.